Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-07
The Andoycr Trial.

trial of the five professors of Andover
seminary which appear in the Boston pa
pers. In the charges against the PROBES
sors as our readers well remember, they
are arragned for bakers dozen OF al
legged heresies, and for breach of faith ana
trust in holding and teaching doctrines at
variance with the Andover creed to which
each professor is required to subscribe.
The most effective speaker thus far heard
for the defense is Professor Smyth, who is
regarded by the prosecution as the chief
offender. Ofthe Andover Greed he said
The creed bears traces, doubtless, of con |
trOyerSies which no longer interest the
public, and unadjusted and even lrrecon-
uilable conceptions linger in some of its
phruses But to whatever critic SIN it Is |
fairly exposed. "hold, maintain and in
culcate, !" Mr.. President, that it does not
bind the seminary to an antiquated phase
of belief, or to the warts and wens
which IA living theology knows how to get
rid of but, en- the contrary, that 1t log
ically leads to those adjustments of ortho-
doX thought and belief which are now
necessary, and in general leaves an open
path for such as the future may require.
Such statement doubtless will strike
with surprise some who are the friends
of doctrina progress. There is abroad an
opinion which is founded, | am persuaded,
upon Il priOrt reasoning and not upon
scientific examination. 1t is like certain
theories of inspiration which are derived
from What men lhink tne blole ousll. 10
pe, anu o' ,nU, ,, tiu2 bas n,ade dnn
trin,i progress since the century opened.
A creed written 80 years ago must be an
tiquated. That depends. An prt0rt
must ne, Sclence ht,S .'usnt US, 10 ~.
saws + still more On what has been said |
am NOT a eulopizer of the Andoyer creed
Clothed in phraSeOlogy which it requires
much special learning accurately to inter
pref, composed as a compromise, designed
to admit under it a great variety CT phll-
osophical theories and beliefs, expressive
at certain points by its silences even more
than by its utterances, balancing tradt-
tional statements by novelties of doctrine,
inserting some words to bar against re
gression and Others which make progress
necessary, confessing the authority of
Scripture but not failing to emphasize the
constant revelation in creation, providence
and redemption, it cannot be rightly un-
derstood without more careful study
than its critics have usually given to it,
and whatever else it may be ! am per
suaded that it is not the symbol of an an
tiquated phase of orthodoxy, nor the chain
and ball of an imprisoned theology.
.
The st hJECl of FhobAIloN'
In regard to the subject of probation
after Iporh prof SmVt n cited varioug mas
- -. ,tp.' . n..,,,, -,
saSes III iloHle9'l'e OttnoooAS o'iiei
than those which were cited by the com
plainants at is evident from the quota
tions ~ he said "that we might have met
49, ~, .iro nhn,.,,o h,. . si,,rIo o,,a ehao,.
tnl' ei'ite cn"l se ~ 9,Aiplo "i.i 9"oei
GENIAL 1t Is patent ny tue DOOR thau we
do not in the unqualified manner charged
make any opinion we entertain in respect
To future probation a central doctrine In
a..;atI,. a1--,, 49,. ~ ,,e. .. :.
Tue SclloVeoO SShSe we uo Hoc leaI ~ as d
uoctrine d. ail, ~. as an luielenGe from m a
uocsi5ne VI lui!oaIllei.al prihcipie' bui
ne uiu ny u tii nc 12ntliiueu' 70 atali
hin fei gl .tils me VI uelence; ne cram
eu luIi iipei.s u,luei ny oleeo W nolu III
os d f Luz
VI .o.i y. uir Gnu VI With uo,i
cono.aI!ly hiahes VI niiisell III MS "orks
vi crea.ipl' p ioNi anu redemption,
may niahe Plooaple auu III ues[ee as
eAao'ls IA p W a t'liaoie etiueiice
as ne co.'lu AZ lie post.loli when ~ ne
tooh - No.. III oppositIlon W tne creed ne
oliipi''ll ii niu1t elio" tndu ne aGlual!y
took pos!.lois with GohlraVehe MS Oh
nclai 110,ilsasloni .int o une cieeu anu sIau'
on tba o,,aetin ~ ~ ;eAp'io; IL ueo
laid'ioli I'll ny que1'loi a. ISSUE 1t san.
mourning Whatever apoul the cohdltloh OF
ieii y" ~ iio "ieiioto otPoi 'uli!.s W heai
she 2o % Pi VI ~ "SoeP. vi ieJtC. an VI
ieIeu oaN lpui ~ tile lbtel iile.'i"te StdSe
. uea,ii anu Ju'gn leIit. Al a enai
lne ICY e Iontu,l ~ leEaiu ~ ~ we liLal
s.a,e Vi M ne f mloheu , In plplcai iaii
Su"se, II. iI",ieto " 'iIe CleS', SinlplS
oli 1unJeCi ~ 90 "i Wh teriIple, useo
tne plii sE ~ ny io'oee. l-ell IN llf
otlsIai ~. III, t'ii9 a. ~ vi .he CIeeu mas
!lle nheaHlns VI ooi 'uie, anu lts lheau
!ns Only i - leleaa " 'ne hhal resurrec
ui0 9I anu 80 men zen $780,, ,..
lnere Is III ~ No. ali ,.l',I anu no hlht a
an allusloh vi Wnat ehSues at death III th'
case vi nl i MIo na.e iloL nearu lhe Cos
PEI OF ntu opPotI . 10 accept OF reJec
Ine oaNioul' anu Ihe Greeu contains no eN
pllclU aeclaratlol ADVERSE 10 the tenet
ihal unose Wno nave no opportunity t'
learn ~ saviour III thls me may n
gral'leu sl.cn opportunity III lhe olher ne
ne ooJec. " ene altlcie Gileu was not u
affirm, llUl uoes J.. assert, that 'he electu
Any calieu are calleu IN uhls ne
ne a'oicie , uues iipo deai WIN une nulllpe
Vi .he eteot VI iiiahG "ny st I ol ~
iect Such AN Interpretation not onl